Running On Climate

Synopsis

After decades of watching their increasingly dire warnings about climate change go unheeded, some scientists are following the lead of former NASA climate scientist James Hansen who was arrested outside the White House. Dr Andrew Weaver, a renowned climate scientist from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, wants to create change from the inside, by running for a political party that has never won a seat in its 30 year history. Weaver was among the scientific advisers who helped develop a groundbreaking package of climate change policies in BC under previous Premier Gordon Campbell, including the introduction of North America's first carbon tax in 2008 and legislated emissions targets. The BC carbon tax is often held up as a model for pricing carbon. Now those climate policies that Weaver holds dear are threatened by new Premier Christy Clark's plan to develop a massive liquid natural gas (LNG) industry in the province. Worse, Clark's promise of a trillion dollar LNG bonanza is, says Weaver, a "pipe dream". Running On Climate follows Weaver and his team as they set out to defy the naysayers and win a seat for science in the provincial Legislature.